Path to Peace

Dear Family of Faith,

I have been procrastinating writing to you all this week. I haven’t known what to say. As the week progressed, the phrase “common ground” kept popping up for me in several contexts. One thing is clear and that is our country is painfully divided. No matter who wins this election, we all need to seek to find our way to kindness, respect, and harmony. We can’t depend on our elected leaders to get us there. That is work we each must do. And I would contend that living in the way of Jesus will get us to a place of peace and harmony. Our timely beatitude this week is “Blessed are the peacemakers.” What does is look like for us to make peace in these days? The path to peace includes finding common ground because I truly believe we all have more in common than that which divides us. And we need to do the hard work of loving one another; our friends and family, our neighbors, and even our enemies. Let us all continue to pray and work for peace. I hope to see you Sunday ☺

WEEKLY SCRIPTURES

Weekly scriptures can be found here. 

ADVENT DEVOTIONAL
Thanks to all who have sent me their devotion! If you haven’t yet, please do so this week. I still need a few more writers to share a thought about peace, hope, faith, joy or love. Or if you want to write a few paragraphs about a favorite Christmas carol, that works too. Let me know if you can help out.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
· Thank you for your generous support of UMCOR and cleaning buckets for those dealing with the devastating hurricanes in the southeast. We collected the equivalent of about 15 buckets worth of cleaning supplies as well as several financial donations. Your generosity will be hope and kindness for people in difficult times.
· Thank you for your contributions of PPE. I sent 3 boxes to Blackfeet United Methodist Parish. Continue to lift up the Blackfeet nation in prayer as their stay at home order has now been extended to Nov. 22nd.
· Join us on Zoom or in person at Holbrook on Sunday, Nov. 22nd from 12-2 for our annual Church Conference. We will set our budget, leadership, and goals for 2021.
Reminder Parish Council meets this Sunday at noon at Holbrook.

ZOOM INFO (Meeting ID and password can be found in our weekly email)
· Weekly worship continues indefinitely on Sundays at 9 am. 
· Hymns and Prayers: Join us for a mid-week pick-me-up on Thursdays at 7 pm.
· Meaningful Conversations: Join us on Wednesdays at 11 am as we talk about how we live as followers of Jesus in our divided world. 

The Lord bless you and keep you!

Pastor Patti